Up to 500 1,500 can be added for new petrol and diesel vehicles to subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles under proposals considered by the government.

Forcing buyers of more polluting vehicles to pay for cheaper electric cars, a so-called “Fibet” system, would be one of the most effective ways to encourage rapid action away from fossil fuels, according to a report by the commission for transportation (DFT).

The car industry says petrol and diesel buyers were opposed to punitive measures instead of simply encouraging the sale of electric and hybrid cars.

Other recommendations in the report include forcing all petrol stations to install electric vehicle charge points, encouraging government agencies to purchase electric vehicles for their fleets, and renaming existing government assistance as “automotive fuel” for electric vehicle charging.

The government is looking to speed up the adoption of electric cars as part of a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the UK. According to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), electric vehicles with zero carbon dioxide emissions accounted for 5% of total sales in August of the year.

The market share of electric cars is booming, with the DFT commissioning the Behavioral Insights team to study ways to encourage more buyers to switch to ban the sale of new gasoline, the so-called “knock unit” from the government. Even before.

On Wednesday, Transport Secretary Grant Shaps indicated that the government would accept a number of proposals in the report, including setting up green parking lots for electric vehicles and charging points at tourist sites.

But proposals to penalize buyers of new fossil fuel vehicles for the direct benefit of electric car buyers could prove highly controversial. The report noted that support from the public was low.

Mike House, chief executive of SMMT, said: “We need to take positive action, not punishing customers who still cannot carry the latest electronic technology, do not have adequate charging facilities, or who do not have the driving requirement to electrify.

“Otherwise, there may be a risk of stopping the renewal of the fleet and delaying environmental improvements to keep their old vehicle longer without leaving them an alternative.”

The Conservative government has repeatedly moved away from measures that would increase costs for drivers of internal combustion engines. It has frozen energy tariffs for years at an estimated cost of ৫ 5.5 billion between 2010 and 2020 – although a recent report suggests that Chancellor Ishii Sunak may consider raising tariffs to cover the cost of the epidemic.

The feasibility report states that FBIT would be better than introducing a lower rate of VAT for electric vehicles, another option considered by this report, as a FBIT would be more flexible in implementation. Both options were among the highest-impact proposals considered by the report.

Fibits, known as the “bonus-malas” scheme, already exist in other countries, including France and Sweden.